# Oppo Find X8 Series Launches with Fitbit App Pre-Installed: Implications for Android Users
The Oppo Find X8 and Find X8 Pro, the newest flagship smartphones from the Chinese technology leader Oppo, have officially debuted worldwide, featuring an unexpected element: the Fitbit app pre-installed as a standard feature. This represents a notable change within the Android ecosystem, being the first instance where a third-party Android manufacturer has integrated Fitbit as a default application on its devices. Here’s everything you should understand about this occurrence and its potential impact on the future of Android smartphones.
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## **Key Information**
– The Oppo Find X8 series comes with the Fitbit app pre-installed within the Google folder.
– This is the inaugural instance of a non-Google Android smartphone shipping with Fitbit set as a default application.
– The addition of Fitbit may indicate a wider trend towards integrating Fitbit into a greater number of Android devices in the future.
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## **A Novelty for Android Smartphones**
Though Android devices generally come with a collection of pre-installed Google applications, including Gmail, Google Maps, and Google Photos, the addition of Fitbit is unprecedented. On the Oppo Find X8 series, the Fitbit app takes the place of Google Fit in the Google folder, indicating a possible transformation in Google’s strategy regarding its fitness ecosystem.
Previously, Google’s own Pixel devices featured the Fitbit app, a move anticipated after Google acquired Fitbit in 2021. The choice to include Fitbit in a partner OEM’s offering is a significant change. It implies that Google might be positioning Fitbit as the primary fitness application for Android, gradually sidelining Google Fit along the way.
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## **Why Choose Fitbit?**
Google’s choice to elevate Fitbit above its own Google Fit app aligns with its overarching objective to unify its fitness solutions. Earlier this year, Google dismantled the Fitbit web dashboard, pointing towards an emphasis on the Fitbit mobile application as the principal center for fitness tracking. Moreover, Google has revealed intentions to phase out Google Fit APIs, providing developers until June 30, 2025, to transition to its new Health Connect platform.
The presence of Fitbit on the Oppo Find X8 series could serve as a trial for wider utilization across various Android devices. If it proves successful, we may witness Fitbit being pre-installed on upcoming models from prominent brands such as Samsung, OnePlus, and Nothing.
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## **Implications for Users**
For users, the Fitbit pre-installation presents both benefits and possible downsides:
### **Benefits**
1. **Fluent Fitness Monitoring**: Fitbit ranks as one of the most favored fitness platforms globally, providing comprehensive features for monitoring steps, exercises, sleep, and additional metrics.
2. **Wearable Integration**: The Fitbit app syncs effortlessly with Fitbit devices, facilitating easier management of fitness data for users.
3. **Health Connect Compatibility**: As Google shifts towards its Health Connect platform, Fitbit is likely to integrate further with other Android applications and services.
### **Possible Downsides**
1. **Concerns About Bloatware**: Certain users may perceive the pre-installed Fitbit app as unnecessary bloatware, particularly if they do not utilize Fitbit devices or prefer alternate fitness applications.
2. **Design Discrepancies**: Critics have remarked that the design of the Fitbit app seems out of sync with other Google applications, possessing its unique color schemes and interface that diverge from Android’s overall design principles.
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## **A Prelude to Future Developments?**
While the Oppo Find X8 series is mainly aimed at markets beyond North America, the inclusion of Fitbit might hint at future developments for Android users globally. As Google refines its fitness offerings, it’s possible that Fitbit will become a standard application on a wider array of Android devices soon.
This shift also raises inquiries concerning the future of Google Fit. Will Google eventually phase out Google Fit completely in favor of Fitbit? And how will this affect users who have depended on Google Fit for their fitness monitoring needs?
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## **The Broader Perspective**
The presence of Fitbit on the Oppo Find X8 series transcends being a mere software update; it provides insight into Google’s changing approach within its fitness ecosystem. By capitalizing on Fitbit’s brand presence and extensive features, Google aims to position itself as a frontrunner in the health and fitness arena, not only for its own Pixel devices but for the entire Android landscape.
Currently, the Oppo Find X8 series acts as a testing platform for this new strategy. Whether this approach will resonate with users and other OEMs is yet to be determined, but one thing is evident: Fitbit is becoming a crucial component of the Android experience.
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As the Android environment continues to transform, the integration of Fitbit into a growing number of devices may reshape how users engage with their smartphones and wearables. Whether you’re a fitness buff or simply someone aiming to monitor their health, this development is certainly one to watch.
